Beyond Tomorrow
by Music on the Moon
Summary: Katherine goes undercover as a slave for twenty-eight days, and discovers the slaves might not be as horrible as she originally thought. Rated T because I don't understand ratings. (ON HIATUS WHILE I FIND SOME INSPIRATION FOR IT) (I HOPE TO FINISH IT SOMEDAY)
1. Welcome to Slavery

**Hello people! I'm Lireal! This is my first published fan fiction, so bear that in mind. If you have any questions about the story, or Moon, feel free to ask. I apologize in advance for both my writing and my OC, Moon. If you actually like Moon and want to use her, just ask please. I do borrow a lot of headcanons from other authors, so if you see something that I borrowed from someone else feel free to tell me, and I'll credit them.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** ** _Newsies_** **.**

 **Trigger warnings will be added by chapter. If you have any requests for trigger warnings, just ask. Trigger warnings: Blood (not much), slavery, partial starvation, abuse.**

 **Have fun reading!**

 _Slaves are considered by many to be the bottom rung on the ladder of society, so low that they are even considered property, not people. Many elites look upon them as uncultured, backstabbing, and even ruthless. I've grown up my whole life hearing this, and I decided to see for myself if it was true. I went undercover for twenty-eight days, becoming a slave of Mr. Snyder, who is often regarded as owning some of the most violent and ruthless slaves. To ensure my safety, I was accompanied by my personal guards, Jack Kelly and Albert DaSilva, who would watch me from afar, unseen by anyone except myself. The aforementioned guards and two of my best friends, who wish to remain anonymous, were the only people who knew I was undercover, in order to ensure that I was receiving the same treatment as any other slave, and not being shielded from the truth in any way._

 _To start my journey, two of my allies and close friends gifted me to Mr. Snyder….._

* * *

"You said she has never been a slave before?" Snyder asked Darcy, eying me up and down with a look in his eye that unsettled me.

"That's correct, sir. She was just sold to me yesterday. As soon as I realized she was inexperienced, I decided to bring her to you. I thought you might like the project, she's still quite rebellious." Darcy clarified.

"You say that like you know me, young man," he challenged, a menacing glint in his eye.

"Your reputation precedes you, Mr. Snyder," Darcy replied coolly, even though I could tell he was terrified.

"Well, you were correct. I do love a challenge," he laughed, sending shivers down my spine. He rose, dusting himself off, before dismissing Darcy by saying, "Very well, I accept your gift. You may leave," and shooting him that menacing glare. Darcy nodded, sparing me one last glance, which clearly read, _I don't like what you're doing, but good luck_ , then turning and leaving. Snyder watched him go, his cold eyes glittering, before ringing a bell on his desk. A small boy with dark hair and large brown eyes scurried into the room, a broom within his grasp.

"Yes, Master Snyder?"

"This one is new," He gestured to me, "put it to work."

"Yes Master Snyder, " the boy walked over to me, dragging the broom behind him. He grasped my arm tightly, but not tightly enough to leave a bruise. I followed him out of the room, his grip on my arm loosening as soon as we left Snyder's sight.

"Well hello, hello beautiful," he said turning to me and winking, "and what would your name be, gorgeous?" I decided to play along as I thought another slave might.

"Katherine," I replied simply.

"Katherine, he echoed, "A beautiful name for a beautiful lady." I kept my face neutral, opting to reply. "And I suppose your name is Romeo?" I deadpanned. He gave me a look of pure confusion. "How'd ya know my name?"

"Lucky guess," I deadpanned. He looked at me strangely, then began to chatter on about something, which I quickly tuned out.

After a few eons of tuning out Romeo's chatter, he stopped walking, causing me to crash into him and trip, almost hitting the floor before he caught me. I looked up at him and he waggled his eyebrows, making a mock kissing face at me. I abruptly stood up and pushed him away, then heard an amused voice say; "Romeo, stop flirting." I looked up to see an extremely pale girl with dark black hair looking at me with shockingly deep black eyes.

"You new here?" she asked me. I nodded.

"You've never been a slave before," she said, not phrasing it as a question. I nodded again, not sure what to make of this girl. The girl hummed thoughtfully.

"I'll take it from here, Rome."

Romeo bowed dramatically, sweeping off his filthy cap, "Anything for our fearless leader." The girl rolled her eyes, and Romeo turned to me, taking my hand and kissing it lightly. "Farewell, my sister, fare thee well. The elements be kind to thee, and make Thy spirits all of comfort: fare thee well," with that he scampered away, while I stared after him, amazed and confused. How did such a young slave have such an extensive knowledge of a genius like Shakespeare?

"Can you sew?" the girl asked, quickly regaining my attention.

"Yes," I replied, more confident than before. She nodded, gesturing for me to follow her. I quickly fell in step before deciding to ask.

"I never caught your name."

The girl laughed slightly before replying, " I never threw it," she paused slightly, "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"Katherine."

"Well Katherine, I's Moon."

"Nice to meet you."

"Of course it is." I huffed slightly, really hoping that the slaves weren't all this arrogant.

After walking a little further in silence, Moon stopped at a plain, brown door, opened it, and gestured for me to enter. I walked in, and was met with scattered colored fabrics, dull blues, vibrant blues, rich reds, and forest greens. I even spotted a few fabrics that looked like they were made of shining golds and shimmering silvers. Sitting in the middle of the beautiful mess was a boy with brown hair, his face screwed up in concentration as he rapidly stitched something that appeared to be a pair of pants.

"Hey Buttons, " Moon said, causing the boy to look up at us. He set his sewing aside and replied with a small 'hey' and a cheery wave. Moon picked her way through the beautiful fabrics, before having a whispered conversation with him. After a few minutes, she clapped his shoulder and picked her way back across the room.

"Katherine, this is Buttons, he's our tailor. You'll be helping him for now," With that she turned and left, closing the door behind her. I turned back to Buttons, who smiled brightly at me.

"Hi, Katherine! Have you ever made suits before?" I nodded, remembering my many sewing lessons. He beamed at me.

"Great! Can you finish sewing these pants for me? It's an eighth-inch seam," He handed me the pants he had been sewing, and I began to expertly stitch the fabric together.

* * *

My fingers were numb and bleeding slightly by the time we were dismissed to leave and return to our cabin for the night. As Buttons and I finished putting everything away for the night, he noticed the condition my poor fingers were in. He pulled a small pot of what looked like a salve and unscrewed the cap.

"This'll help your fingers," he explained as he reached for my hand. I allowed him to take it, and he gently applied it to the pads of my fingers. I could feel the pain starting to ease as he wrapped some bandages around my hand.

"Thank you," I said sincerely once he had finished. He just shrugged, then led me through the halls and out to a decent-sized cabin that looked slightly out of repair. It was there I was introduced to the other slaves.

* * *

 _The slaves are treated horribly. They all live crammed together in a single cabin, which could use quite a few repairs. The food I was given was atrocious, stale bread that you could barely bite into, and a small boiled potato. The other slaves told me that they would be given meat on rare occasions, such as before the harvest, in order to build their strength. However, despite the atrocious living conditions, they still manage to remain hospitable, caring, and keep each other safe._

 _You can see an amazing bond between all the slaves mere seconds after you meet them. They are similar to a huge family, where the older teach the younger, and if you are in need, someone will provide the best they can. One of the best examples I can think of is the secret place they flock to after curfew, where they all make sure everyone is provided for….._


	2. Beyond Tomorrow

**Hello! Hope everyone's having a good day/night. So here's the second chapter, This is where I expect hatred and confusion towards my OC, but I decided to explain the title, so, maybe that will help. Sorry about the writing quality, I wrote 99.9% of this while I was exhausted, had a massive headache, or both, so, sorry.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own** ** _Newsies_**

 **Trigger warnings: Slavery, spears, fire, physical fighting.**

 **Have fun reading!**

 _One of the best examples I can think of is the secret place they flock to after curfew, where they all make sure everyone is provided for…._

* * *

This was my sixth day as a slave, and I was amazed that the others managed to stay in such good spirits when they were treated so horribly. After a monotonous day of helping Buttons -who despite being extremely kind and hilarious at times, was much too focused in his work to talk to me more than occasionally -we returned to the run-down cabin, and had our pathetic meal of stale bread and over boiled potatoes. Once I had finished, I collapsed on the bed and tried to block out the cacophony everybody else was causing.

"I's guessing you're still hungry?" I opened my eyes to see Moon smirking at me, her arms crossed. I wasn't sure how to answer for a second. _Was that a normal-sized meal for them? Will they figure out I'm lying if I say yes? Will they think less of me?_ I decided I didn't really care.

"No, that bite of hard, stale bread and over boiled potato really filled me up," I replied, enfusing my voice with as much sarcasm as I possibly could.

"So she does have a sense of humor," Moon deadpanned, then chuckled," Well, congratulations, you've officially joined the newsies, and now you have the option to eat with us."

"Newsies?" I asked, thoroughly confused by the unfamiliar word.

"Yeah," she shrugged, "It's a name I made up for the group. I'd call them chaos, but that don't have the same ring to it."

"Oh," I said, not sure how she came up with a name like newsies, a name that made absolutely no sense to me.

"Anyway, you coming?"

Not wanting to turn down the offer of food, I replied,"Sure."

"You have the option of leaving anytime, so don't feel obligated to stay." I nodded. She grinned.

* * *

"How did you find this place?" I asked as I was led into a clearing that had been completely invisible only seconds earlier.

"A friend of ours was 'exploring' when he found the clearing," Crutchie explained, laughing slightly, I presumed it was at the memory. As we walked, I noticed what looked like a cave in the distance.

"Is that a cave?" I asked.

"Yep," A boy said cheerfully, popping the 'p'.

"So where's this food you promised me?" I asked, a few boys around me laughing at my eagerness.

"It's in Tomorrow," A blonde kid with ice blue eyes said before laughing as if he had just made best joke ever. The boys all groaned, one actually slapping the back of his head.

"What Race is trying to say is: the food's in the river," Moon explained, glaring at Race, but I could tell there was no malice behind it. Race smirked at her before walking over and throwing his arm over her shoulders. _Were they courting?_

"The river's called Tomorrow," a boy explained cheerfully, flashing me a bright grin. I hesitantly returned it.

"So you live off stale bread, over boiled potatoes, and fish?" My statement was met with a chorus of affirmation.

"You truly feast as well as the royalty themselves," I deadpanned, earning myself a few laughs and causing Moon to let out a small snort.

"But of course," Race said dramatically, gesturing with his free hand, "For we are the most powerful, as we know the secrets of Tomorrow."

"Do you even think about anything you say?" Moon asked, smirking.

"He's probably trying to recreate Shakespeare," A boy said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"At least Shakespeare could speak english, unlike you, peasant," Race spat, his arm leaving Moon's shoulders as he stepped closer to the first boy. I started to feel increasingly concerned. _Could this be when the slaves turned savage?_

"What did you just call me, heathen?" The boys stepped even closer together, before slowly circling each other, each ready to tear the other apart.

"I called you a peasant." The first boy froze for a second, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white. I looked around at the other slaves, expecting them to separate the two boys before they caused each other serious harm. Instead I was met with unconcerned faces, a few smirks, and even some boys who seemed to be placing bets. Fear started to creep up on me, pooling in my stomach and making me feel ill. _Could this be what slaves did for fun? Tear each other apart and watch it as some sick sort of sport, even placing bets on it? If so, why had they been so kind to me…?_

I was jolted from my thoughts when the boy lunged at Race, but instead of striking him as I expected, he pulled him into a headlock and rubbed his knuckles against his skull. I blinked, confused, before slowly realizing that I had mistaken playfulness for malice. My fears slowly started to dissipate, and after a few seconds, I was able to laugh with the other boys at Race, whose limbs were wildly flailing as he desperately tried to escape the headlock.

"As much as I love laughing at Race, we should probably start fishing before someone collapses from hunger," Moon said, prompting the boy to release Race, who swatted at him.

A few boys started towards the caves, disappearing from view as they slipped inside. I watched them disappear, then turned to find Race unlacing Moon's dress. I stared, aghast at their behavior, but once Race pulled the garment over her head, I could see the dark pants and long-sleeved shirt she was wearing underneath. I let out a sigh of relief, watching as Race unceremoniously threw the dress over a low tree branch. The other boys returned, each one bearing some sort of net, cage, or spear. I followed them as they rushed to the river, checking traps and pulling out fish, killing them quickly with their spears. A boy walked over to a burnt spot in the ground, obviously there had been many a fire in that spot. Moon walked over to the boy, and after a short conversation, approached me.

"Want to help me get some firewood?" she asked.

"Sure," I replied. She started walking towards the caves, and I quickened my pace to match hers.

"So, how are you adjusting?" She inquired.

"What?" I asked, thoroughly confused as to what she was referring to.

"How are you adjusting?" she repeated, "you know, to being a slave. You doing okay?"

"I'm alright." She nodded, then stopped at a giant pile of logs that were presumably to be used as firewood. She stooped down, picking up a few logs and piling them in her arms, before standing again.

"Can you grab some kindling?" she asked, nodding towards a nearby pile of twigs and shavings. I nodded and grabbed a few handfuls, feeling the rough twigs scrape against my hand. I deposited the kindling in my apron, lifting up the ends to make a sort of basket. I noticed Moon staring at nothing in particular, biting at her lip, almost hard enough draw blood.

"Moon?" She looked over at me expectantly, waiting for me to continue. "Are you alright?"

Moon nodded, releasing her lip, "I just thought I heard something."

I wasn't really sure I believed her, but I followed her back to the burnt spot in the ground. Once there, I kneeled, handing the boy my kindling and brushing off my apron. He carefully arranged the logs and kindling, before pulling a piece of metal and a greyish rock from his pocket. In one quick motion, he struck the rock with the metal, creating sparks. He blew on the sparks, and after, a few seconds,I could see the fire beginning to catch, the flames hungrily consuming the wood.

Of course, my quiet moment of peace was rudely interrupted by the boys running over with their now-gutted fish. I almost laughed, the moment reminding me of the way Jack would manage to ruin almost every quiet moment I had. Of course, he usually wasn't carrying gutted fish. Usually.

* * *

Once everyone had finished cooking and eating the fish -one nice boy being kind enough to share his with me -Romeo jumped up and demanded we reenact _Romeo and Juliet_. Another boy with glasses rose to his feet, wrapping his arm around Romeo's waist, nonverbally supporting what Romeo had said. After a chorus of sighs and a few annoyed mumbles, all the boys rose to their feet, each one seemingly knowing what they were doing. I remained sitting, not really sure what I was supposed to do. The boy with glasses noticed my confusion, and after a whispered conversation with Race, who sprinted towards the caves, he turned to me.

"Do you want to play the nurse?" he asked kindly, offering his hand out to me.

"Sure, but I don't have the script memorized," I responded, taking his outstretched hand. He pulled me up with apparent ease.

"Don't worry, that's what Race is getting."

I glanced over at Race, who was sprinting toward us, then turned back to Specs and smiled. _Why does everyone except me have the script memorized?_

Race handed me the script, and at Specs' nod to start, I began to read the chorus, my voice blending with everyone else around me.

* * *

 _Acting out_ Romeo and Juliet _with a ragged group of slaves was admittedly quite entertaining. I was not only surprised by the fact that everyone there had it memorized, but by the way they acted with such feeling, while also managing to deliver their lines in the most hilarious ways possible. In that moment, acting with the slaves who treated me as one of their own, even though I had met them a mere six days go, I was perfectly happy and content, no longer harboring any fear towards them._

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	3. What Hides in Caves?

**Hello, I hope everyone's doing OK! So I forgot to mention the nice people who reviewed my story last chapter, so sorry about that and thank you to SomedayonBroadway and Disneyfan10 for reviewing, sorry about forgetting to mention you. So this chapter is very short and bad, but I wanted to save the angst for next chapter. Again, sorry about quality, but I keep writing while I'm exhausted and have a headache...so not much I can do. Oh, also last chapter they reenacted** _ **Romeo and Juliet,**_ **so if anyone wants a link to the script and a list of what characters the newsies play, just let me know.**

 **SomedayonBroadway: Funny you should ask about Jack, but yes he will be showing up soon, and his absence will be explained soon too. If they get caught in the cave...things could get nasty. But yes, I do love Katherine. Thank you so much for reviewing!**

 **Trigger warnings: playful slaps, caves, a brawl, cheek kisses**

 **Have fun reading!**

 _Acting out_ Romeo and Juliet _with a ragged group of slaves was admittedly quite entertaining. I was not only surprised by the fact that everyone there had it memorized, but by the way they acted with such feeling, while also managing to deliver their lines in the most hilarious ways possible. In that moment, acting with the slaves who treated me as one of their own, even though I had met them a mere six days go, I was perfectly happy and content, no longer harboring any fear towards them. Of course, that feeling couldn't last forever. They were, after all, slaves._

* * *

On my seventh night, I could see Moon glancing longingly towards the caves every few minutes, peaking my curiosity. _What could be in the caves that was causing Moon to act so strangely?_ Eventually, Race seemed to notice her abnormal behavior. He tapped her arm to get her attention, then spoke in a language I believe was Italian.

"Cosa c'è che non va?" Race asked.

"Mi manca lui," Moon replied, biting down on her bottom lip so hard I feared the skin would break.

"Smettila di morderti le labbra, stupido."

She slapped his chest lightly with the back of her hand, releasing her lip, and Race pulled her into a hug, causing a few catcalls, all of them quickly silenced by Moon's death glare.

After a few hours of participating in an astonishingly dramatic, staged brawl, a heated debate defending Shakespeare's honor, and a game of keep-away, the boys finally decided to leave the clearing. As we were leaving, I noticed Moon and Race speaking in Italian again. As I watched, their conversation seemed to come to an end, Race walking towards the rest of the boys, and Moon running to the cave.

"Drink it in boys, I know I'm gorgeous," Race said dramatically, obviously noticing the questioning glances from the rest of the boys. The boys booed, a few calling out insults and even playfully swatting at him. A few boys still seemed curious about Moon, but they contained their questions as we snuck back to the cabin.

* * *

The next night, Moon was noticeably happier, making me very curious, wondering what possibly be in those caves.

After an intense competition to determine the best dancer of the group, (no one won and Moon had to break up a few fights) the boys all decided to head back for the night. As they were leaving, Moon stopped me, claiming she wanted to talk to me in private.

She waited as the rest of the boys left, then as soon as they were out of earshot, she turned to me.

"I want to show you the caves so you can get through them safely."

I nodded, not sure why she needed me alone to show me caves.

She led me through the caves for a few minutes, pointing out subtle signs the boys had left to help them navigate.

After showing me an exit and pointing to a small house that was visible from said exit- telling me I could go there If I was in danger- She led me to a small cavern, where two people stepped out of the shadows. I panicked slightly, at first, but quickly relaxed when I recognized the faces of Jack Kelly and Albert Dasilva. Jack smirked at me.

"Hey, Plumber," he said, using my byline since I would yell at him when he called me by my father's last name. I grinned at him, managing to gain enough control over myself as to not sprint there and through my arms around him, and instead I calmly walked over and pulled him in for a hug. His arms encircled my waist, and I felt calmness and safety wash over me as I inhaled the eternal smell of paint. I felt him whisper in my ear.

"You holding up OK? Has Spidey left you alone?" I chuckled slightly at his protectiveness.

"I'm alright Jack...don't worry yourself too much…"

"I'll always worry over you, Plumber, I's your guard after all, sworn to defend you at all costs," he joked, his tone light.

"Sap," I said fondly, shoving him lightly.

"This is cute and all, and I's happy for you guys, but Kath and Moon should probably head back before they get caught," Albert's voice interrupted our conversation, and Jack retracted his arms, crossing them over his chest.

"Oh, so Moon can stay all night, but Kath's gotta leave?" Albert smirked.

"Yep," he walked over to Jack and whispered something in his ear, causing him to turn bright red and shove Albert back towards Moon, who just rolled her eyes fondly as Albert wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Ew," Jack told them, obviously unamused. I felt the need to interrupt before Jack and Albert had a staring contest, something that had happened many times before.

"As Albert mentioned, Moon and I should probably head back," I said. Jack looked thoughtful, then nodded, pulling me into another warm hug.

"Be careful, I don't need you getting hurt," he whispered softly in my ear. I nodded.

"I'll be alright." Jack nodded, obviously still worried. He turned towards Moon and pulled her into a hug, also whispering something in her ear, causing her to snort lightly and lightly smack him. He grinned at her, then smirked at me until Moon pulled me out of sight.

* * *

 _The next day, things started going downhill. I knew slaves were in constant danger of beatings, but I hadn't fully realized it until I saw the aftermath for myself, something that had always been hidden from me in the palace. I was a slave now though, there were no palace staff to keep me from seeing the truth for myself..._

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	4. Sometimes the Truth Hurts

**Hello, hope everyone's doing OK! So, this chapter is very short, but it contains the beginning of the promised angst. I'm not really sure what I'll write after this, so if anyone has any ideas, please share them with me.**

 **Disneyfan10: Thank you! I actually really like writing fluff moments like the one between Jatherine, Moon and Albert, but my mind always decides the story needs more angst. Let me know if you want to see more fluff moments. Thank you for reviewing!**

 **SomedayonBroadway: Jack does know about the rest of the boys, and I think Crutchie was mentioned, but he'll be mentioned again when I actually get around to writing Jack and Albert's backstory. Thank you for reviewing!**

 **Trigger warnings: whippings, screaming, blood**

 **Have fun reading a very short chapter!**

 _The next day, things started going downhill. I knew slaves were in constant danger of beatings, but I hadn't fully realized it until I saw the aftermath for myself, something that had always been hidden from me in the palace. I was a slave now though, there were no palace staff to keep me from seeing the truth for myself..._

* * *

My ninth day there had been a normal day. That is, until we heard pained screams. Buttons and I exchanged fearful glances, before setting our work aside and rushing out of the mansion, towards the source of the screaming. When we finally arrived, I was completely horrified by the sight I was met with.

Moon was lying on top of a boy, obviously trying to protect him, while the Delancey brothers brought a whip down on her back, over and over. As I watched, the boy, who looked suspiciously like Race, flipped their positions, baring his own bloody back to the whip. I instinctively stepped forward to stop the beating, forgetting that I had no power here, but Buttons held me back, shaking his head.

"You'll only get yourself hurt."

As much as I hated to let the beating continue, I nodded and stepped back, watching as the whip was brought down on bloodied flesh, over and over again.

* * *

After we were dismissed for the day, Buttons and I rushed to the cabin, eager to check on Race and Moon. When we arrived, Buttons dashed over to Elmer, conversing with him in a harsh whisper. I looked around, seeing both Moon and Race lying on their respective beds, asleep, with boys cleaning their bloodied backs. I walked to Moon's bed, heading towards Buttons and Elmer, when I noticed dirty bandages around her wrists. I supposed that they were simply another injury she must have sustained, and continued on my way, passing Race's bed on the way. He looked much paler than usual, his blonde curls a sweaty, matted, mess. I moved on, finally reaching Buttons and Elmer.

"Will they be OK?" I asked quietly. Buttons sighed.

"Mush said they'd be back in the swing of things in a few days. They's both strong, they'll pull through," Elmer replied, his usual cheerful demeanor gone. I nodded in understanding.

"Are we still going beyond tomorrow?" I asked, using the code the boys seemed to love so much. Buttons shook his head.

"It's usually to dangerous after a beating. The Delancey's keep a closer eye on us than usual, making sure we don't try to get a doctor or anything," He explained. I nodded once more, then walked away, sitting on my own bunk. _I'll just have to make sure no one sees me leave._

Once we had eaten, I pretended to sleep, making sure no one would be worrying about where I was. After everyone had gone to bed, I slipped away quietly, my years of sneaking out of my room and past multiple guards coming in handy. No one noticed me leave.

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	5. Backstories

**Hello, turns out I still write this story. So, this a painfully short chapter in which stuff happens.**

 **SomedayonBroadway: I'm glad you like it, and I'm sure Race receives a lot of beatings. Also, you keep predicting my fic before it happens...**

 **TW: caves, mentions of beatings, mentions of hangings, mentions of fights, angry Jack**

 **Have fun reading my word vomit.**

I had to admit, the caves were quite easy to get lost in. After a few wrong turns, I finally managed to find the cavern that Jack and Albert had been in.

"Plumber?" I whipped towards the voice to find Jack looking at me, concern written all over his face. Unable to contain myself, I rushed towards him, relishing the feeling of having his warm arms around me, breathing in the comforting smell of paint that always seemed to surround him. He awkwardly patted my back, then pushed me back slightly, enough so he could look me in the eye. I looked up at him, realizing how much I missed his constant presence.

"Plumber?" he asked, bringing me out of my thoughts. I sighed.

"There was a beating…" I trailed off as I saw Jack's face twist into an expression of fury, an expression I had never seen from him before.

"Who?" he asked roughly, his arms tightening around me as he went completely rigid.

"Race and Moon," I said, watching his face carefully as he began to mutter something.

"Mierda, serían ellos. ¡Maldita araña!" he let go of me and began pacing, running his hands through his hair in desperation, "¿Por qué siempre tienes que hacer esto? Él no puede dejar que sean felices?!"

"Jack, they'll be alright-" I began, trying to calm him down. He stopped pacing and whipped around to face me.

"Oh, is that what you think? Just a few scars, maybe a little pain, but nothing bad?"

"Jack-" I tried again.

"No, it ain't OK," he spat, gesturing wildly, his voice growing louder with each word, " They should be playing, getting an education, not working themselves to death or always looking over their shoulders to make sure there ain't a whip headed their way!" I had no idea to respond to that but was thankfully interrupted by Albert, who walked into the cavern, rifling through a bag.

"I forgot how nice Davey's mom-" he paused as he looked up, clearly noticing Jack's distress.

"What's goin' on?" he asked, concern creeping into his voice. Jack looked ready to kill.

"Spider beat Moon an' Race," Jack mumbled through clenched teeth. Albert dropped the bag.

"They better be OK," he growled.

"They'll be working again tomorrow," I said quietly. I had never seen them this angry before, and it worried me.

"Just because they're working doesn't mean they're OK," Albert muttered as he picked up the fallen bag.

I sighed slightly, confused as to why Jack was so upset about Race.

"How do you know them?" I asked. Jack glanced at Albert, and they seemed to have a silent argument, one Jack won. Albert sighed, then launched into an explanation.

"4 years ago, we was slaves here too. Jack was our leader, and Race was his second. We hated Snyder," Albert shrugged, "but we did the work. One day, we's heard fighting, and we found the Delanceys beating Crutchie and Moon, they had them all tied up and everything so they couldn't fight back. So we's," he motioned between himself and Jack, "got involved. We actually soaked the Delanceys pretty good," he added with a smirk. Jack huffed. "But the Delanceys weren't too happy, so we was gonna be executed. So we's ran away through these caves, then ended up becoming your guards," He finished, waiting for my reaction.

I stared at him, processing what I just heard. I knew they didn't come from an ideal background, but I hadn't known they had been slaves. I guess I just assumed they knew the boys from overseers, not slaves. Now that I thought about it though, I realized they were too kind to be overseers. Nothing like the Delancey brothers. Eventually, I remembered Albert was still staring at me, and I snapped out of my thoughts. I could think of nothing to say, unusual for me, so I said; "Oh."

Albert just looked at me, then turned to Jack and shrugged.

Jack sighed heavily, "You should be heading back. Just...keep an eye on Race and Moon. I don't want them getting hurt no more."

I nodded, then turned to leave, muttering under my breath as I went, "...but I'm not in control here…"

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	6. Not a chapter

**Ok, this isn't a chapter, but there is something I want to address. If you aren't the Guest, this doesn't apply to you and feel free to ignore it.**

 **Guest, please understand I'm not trying to offend anyone or romanticize slavery in any way. As someone interested in history, I do know of many examples of slavery, and can guarantee almost every, if not every, culture had or still has a form of slavery, and it is not always fueled by racism, but often a combination of a need for cheap labor, classism, general prejudice, and yes, racism. However, this particular system of slavery is not based on racism, but classism and the need for cheap labor. Please keep in mind I'm only in Freshman year, and this started as my first published fan fiction.**

 **Ok, storytime. Fanfiction literally changed my life. Something about seeing characters I understood interact and go through hardships changed me, and shaped my world views. I'm not implying that I was prejudiced, but reading fanfiction brought me a new level of understanding.**

 **So, I am not trying to romanticize slavery, or abuse in general. If I am, I apologize, as I don't know where this romanticism is. I am sorry you were offended, but please tell me exactly what elements are romanticized so I can fix them. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, and no one else should hesitate in contacting me if they find something wrong. So, guest, please PM or leave another comment and know if you do PM me, I don't intend to reveal your identity.**

 **Good day/night.**


	7. The Doctor

**Hi, I'm still alive.**

 **Anywaaaay, here we get to meet Davey, who decides to go on a slightly controversial rant. But yeah. Sorry that took forever. Oh, there's a doctor who refrence in this chapter so let me know if you get it.**

 **Guest: Thank you! Here's that update.**

 **Whats a username: Thank you, I'm glad someone can clarify for me.**

 **Disneyfan10: Thank you, and I totally not being able to stop ranting once you start, as proved by Davey in this chapter.**

 **Guest: rant time :). So I figured out a couple things, mainly: you do realize Newsies is literally about child labor, which is barely any better than slavery? Why are you in this fandom? I also put in trigger warnings and I included slavery in them and my description, so why are you reading this story?Also "disgustingly racist and inhumane practices of the past…" First off, not all slavery is due to ethnicity. As seen in the story, this slavery is based off class, or how high in society you are. Second, you just? Said? Still going on today, so…? :) :) :)**

 **Disneyfan10: I'm glad you like it! And Jack was actually speaking Spanish, but they're amazingly easy to mix up. Thank you!**

 **SomedayonBroadway: Don't worry about predicting things, I love reading predictions! I totally feel ya on the loving angst part, and ya know, maybe I'll use some of your predictions if they fit really well. :)**

 **TW: Slavery, stealing, alcohol (not drinking), injuries (not graphic), doctors, drugs(not illegal), slightly controversial rants, mentions of undergarments :)**

 **Have fun reading!**

Apparently, every single boy in the cabin had the exact same idea as Jack. Throughout the day i saw extra food and medicine smuggled into the cabin for the two of them, as well as noticing others taking over part of their work load when the Delancey Brothers weren't looking. In the sewing room, I saw Buttons sneakily cut up fabric to make bandages and later I saw Henry bring in a bottle of alcohol he stole from the kitchen.

The boys even sent Romeo through the caves to the house Moon had pointed out to me when she gave me the tour of the caves. The house that I could go to if I needed help. When Romeo came back that night, he brought a tall, dark-haired pale boy back with him. I watched in silence from my place next to Moon's bed-I had felt the need to help in anyway possible and I had learned basic first aid in the palace-as he approached Mush, holding up the basket he had brought with him. Mush nodded, and they distributed the basket between them, Mush going to Race, and the boy coming to Moon. He bent next to her soundlessly, but she woke up regardless.

"Hey, Mom." she smirked. The boy rolled his eyes, and I chose to decide that she was telling a joke.

"I haven't seen you in months and that's the first thing you say to me?" He asked, narrowing his eyes and checking the pulse on her neck.

"Better than asking where your blue box is."

"My what?"

"Nothin'"

"Mhhhhhm," he hummed suspiciously. "Here, drink this," he pulled out a bottle from his basket." Moon glared at the bottle, but allowed the boy to put it her lips. She laid back, her eyes closing as the boy chuckled slightly.

"Everytime," he muttered, then turned and noticed me sitting there. "Hello, I'm Davey Jacobs, the local doctor." he introduced, extending his hand.

"Hi, I'm Katherine, it's nice to meet you." I returned, shaking his hand.

"Likewise."

"Excuse me for asking, but why did she call you mom?" Davey raised an eyebrow, but shrugged to himself.

"She claims it's because of my "mothering instincts", or because I tried to keep these idiots from getting in trouble." I laughed quietly, trying to imagine the consequences of that.

"I'm sure that was difficult," I said politely. Davey looked at me sadly. "It shouldn't of had to been," he said, "The only trouble that was even slightly justified was when Race and Albert flew Snyder's underwear as a kite, but even then." He sighed. "Look at these boys. Henry's a genius cook, but he's stuck here when he could easily make his own way. Race's a mathematical genius, Romeo will read anything he can get his hands on. Did you know one time I brought a book and read it out loud, and Romeo was right there in front of me, hanging onto every word, his eyes showing he was lost in the story. I had to force myself to stop so we could go to sleep, and it was of the hardest things I've done. Mush could easily take over my practice, Buttons could be the King's tailor, and Moon's the best singer you'll ever hear. Most of us speak multiple languages, and even if they weren't all geniuses, they still don't deserve to be here, wasting away while rich men like Snyder dine, just because they were born in the wrong place at the wrong time," He finished, then took a deep breath.

"Sorry about that, I tend to ramble."

"Ramble? That's one of the most honest speeches I've ever had the pleasure of hearing." Davey chuckled dryly, before turning Moon onto her stomach to check her back.

"Excuse me, but I have to get back before sundown." I simply nodded, taking the opportunity to retire to my bed and rest.

 **Yup. That's the long-awaited update :)**

 **Good day/night!**

 **Send me comments :) :)**


	8. Herbs

**So, here's another really short chapter, all because I wanted a cliffhanger at the end. Don't worry, it's not too bad.**

 **SomedayonBroadway: I kinda did too, actually, but I'm glad you're excited, even after my disappearance.**

 **Disneyfan10: Thank you!**

 **Trigger warnings: caves, getting lost, little not-jumpscare cliffhanger thing at the end.**

 **Enjoy, folks.**

Life began to return to normal once Mush took Moon and Race off the bed rest he enforced as soon as they returned to the cabin at night. Well, as normal as life could be for us.

It was odd, I hadn't even spent two weeks with the boys, but they already felt more like family than anyone at the palace, other than Jack and Albert.

At the end of the day, Moon came up to me with a slight smirk, and I already knew where we were going. However, Race noticed us slipping out.

"Dove pensi di andare?" he asked, also smirking. Moon turned to face him and I groaned when she responded in Italian.

"Al fiume," she smirked.

"Perché?"

"Perché, stupido, Davey non può permettersi di curarci, quindi il minimo che posso fare è portargli delle erbe."

Race held her gaze for a few seconds, then turned away. Moon smirked, and I just shook my head, not wanting to understand.

Next thing I knew, I was following Moon through the caves, admiring how easily she navigated. True to her word, we had picked a sack of herbs for Davey, and I wondered if I would see him again tonight.

To my surprise, when we arrived a the usual cavern it was completely empty. Moon sighed and readjusted her sack.

"Stay here," she told me. I watched her walk away, then followed after her. She walked through the caves to Davey's house, and I watched from the entrance as she knocked on the door and went inside. As I watched the door, I realized I didn't know the way back to the cavern, so I decided to start looking now.

Unfortunately, what seemed like hours later, I was thoroughly lost and definitely going in circles. I knew Moon would have returned by now, and figured she would probably look for me, do my chances of dying in the caves and never being found were fairly low.

Suddenly, my thoughts were by a male voice.

"You lost, beautiful?"

 **Wow that was short. Oh well. It had a cliffhanger. Bye.**


	9. You're Not OK

**Hello! I'm back with another really short chapter! So, this one was a suggestion by the lovely Disneyfan10, so thank you for that. I had to change it up a bit to fit with the plot, because the boy's don't know about the whole Jack Albert royalty thingy. So yeah, hope it's up to scratch.**

 **Disneyfan10: Wait no longer! Also, thanks for the suggestion.**

 **Tw: punching, headlocks, kissing, arguements, those bandages on Moon's wrist**

I gasped and turned around, blindly punching at the man, who quickly grabbed my fist to stop me.

"Easy there, Plumber. I ain't here to hurt ya." Jack said, releasing my fist. I relaxed but punched his shoulder.

"Ow!" He cried, rubbing his arm.

"That's for scaring me," I smirked.

"Geez, ya can throw a surprisingly good punch."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Jack opened his mouth to answer, but closed it again. "Let's get back to Moon and Albo." I smirked, knowing I had won, and followed him back to the cavern, where Moon and Albert were arguing.

"You ain't fine!" Albert practically shouted in distress. Jack put his arm out to stop me so we would stay hidden.

"I ain't dead, so I's fine." Moon replied flatly. Albert glared at her.

"Oh yeah, so when the delanceys beat ya within an inch of your life and you can't get outta bed, you'll still be 'fine'?! Well, I ain't gonna let that happen. I'll go get them right now!" Albert moved to storm out of the cage and Jack tensed beside me, ready to stop Albert as he passed, but Moon got there first and placed a hand on his chest. He stopped instantly.

"You can't," she said simply. Albert narrowed his eyes and glared at her, and she glared back, seemingly having a silent conversation. Eventually he gave up and slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"I still wanna soak them," he grumbled. Moon snorted.

"You'll get your chance." Albert continued to pout, and Moon leaned in close to him and brushed their noses together. He sighed softly and closed his eyes, burying his face into her shoulder. I stared in shock. I had never seen Albert Dasilva so vulnerable.

She carded her fingers through his hair, and he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted his head.

"Can you come with us?" He whispered.

"Only if you find a way to smuggle about 20 boys," she whispered back. Albert sighed, and cupped her face in his hands, stroking her cheek gently. She grinned, and they both leaned in and kissed, Albert moving an arm to her waist. They broke apart at Jack's loud whoop.

"Get some!"

Albert and Moon whipped around to face us, giving Jack twin death glares. Jack just smirked, prompting Moon to reach out and punch him exactly where I had earlier.

"Ow! What is it with the two of ya?" He pouted, rubbing his arm.

I smirked and shrugged, evenly meeting Jack's glare. As distracted as he was, Jack didn't even notice Albert sneak up behind him until he was yanked backwards in a headlock.

"Hey! What is it, pick on Jack day?" He complained as he swiped at Albert's arm.

"It's always pick on Jack day," Moon deadpanned as she picked at bandages around her wrists. Jack whined again, and Albert released him.

"You're lucky you're friends with Kath, otherwise i'd soak ya," he smirked. Jack shoved his head playfully.

"Y'all better be gettin' back," Jack said.

"Y'all, Cowboy?" Moon taunted.

"Shut up."

 **Well that was short. Ok goodnight/day I'm going back to my shame hole and maybe I'll actually write a chapter over 600 words.**


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